Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) in food: ingestion safety
Moderate riskNot medical or professional safety advice, and not a substitute for a qualified clinician — consult one. Full disclaimer →
Mouthing of DINP-plasticised toy and child-care articles produces the documented infant/toddler exposure that drove EU 2005 toy restriction; food-contact PVC migration is the dominant adult dietary route under the EFSA phthalate cumulative-risk envelope.
What is di-isononyl phthalate (dinp)?
The IUPAC name is bis(7-methyloctyl) benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate.
Also known as: bis(7-methyloctyl) benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate, DIISONONYL PHTHALATE, Diisononylphthalate, DINP.
- IUPAC name
- bis(7-methyloctyl) benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate
- CAS number
- 28553-12-0
- Molecular formula
- C26H42O4
- Molecular weight
- 418.6 g/mol
- SMILES
- CC(C)CCCCCCOC(=O)C1=CC=CC=C1C(=O)OCCCCCCC(C)C
- PubChem CID
- 590836
Risk for people
Moderate riskMouthing of DINP-plasticised toy and child-care articles produces the documented infant/toddler exposure that drove EU 2005 toy restriction; food-contact PVC migration is the dominant adult dietary route under the EFSA phthalate cumulative-risk envelope.
Regulatory consensus
6 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP). The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 5 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 5 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Eye Irritation: Not classified (score: low) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Skin Irritation: Not classified (score: low) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | skin irritation: in vivo: Moderate or Mild Irritation (score: moderate) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | skin sensitisation: in vivo (non-LLNA): Not likely to be sensitizing (score: low) |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where you encounter di-isononyl phthalate (dinp)
- Consumer Products — Plastic bottles and containers, Food packaging, Plastic toys and household items
- Drinking Water — Leaching from plastic pipes, Migration from bottled water containers
- Indoor Environments — Off-gassing from plastic furniture, Degradation of plastic products
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP):
-
Fragrance-free formulations
Trade-offs: Consumer preference for scented productsRelative cost: Lower (ingredient elimination)
-
Essential oil-based fragrances (with disclosure)
Trade-offs: Natural does not mean safe — many essential oils are skin sensitizersRelative cost: 2-5× conventional
Frequently asked questions
Is di-isononyl phthalate (dinp) safe for you?
Mouthing of DINP-plasticised toy and child-care articles produces the documented infant/toddler exposure that drove EU 2005 toy restriction; food-contact PVC migration is the dominant adult dietary route under the EFSA phthalate cumulative-risk envelope.
What products contain di-isononyl phthalate (dinp)?
Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) appears in: Plastic bottles and containers (Consumer products); Food packaging (Consumer products); Leaching from plastic pipes (Drinking water); Migration from bottled water containers (Drinking water); Off-gassing from plastic furniture (Indoor environments).
Why do regulators disagree about di-isononyl phthalate (dinp)?
Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) has been classified by 6 agencies including EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) in the food app
Look up products containing di-isononyl phthalate (dinp), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in food View raw API dataSources (2)
- EFSA: Cumulative Dietary Risk Assessment — Anti-Androgenic Phthalate Group (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP), Group-TDI Derivation, Toddler 99.9th Percentile Exceedance Conclusion, Masculinization Programming Window, and Combined Hazard Index Methodology (2019) (2019) — regulatory
- EU Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC, amended): DINP Restriction in Mouthed Toys (<0.1% by weight), Cumulative Phthalate Risk Rationale, Childcare Article Coverage, and Precautionary Classification with DEHP/DBP/BBP Despite Lower Individual Potency (2020) (2020) — regulatory
Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →